By Kumar Pallana, best known for his appearances in various Wes Anderson films, passed away yesterday at age 94. Pallana has been a part of the Anderson ensemble stable since Bottle Rocket and also appeared in Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Darjeeling Limited. His other most notable film appearance was Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal in 2004.
In his teens, Pallana dropped out of school to travel the world and become a performer, appearing as a juggler and plate spinner on The Mickey Mouse Club and The Ed Sullivan Show, and later playing bit parts as Native Americans in various westerns. Pallana eventually moved to Dallas and opened his own cafe and yoga studio, The Cosmic Cup, which is where Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson first met him.
The above short documentary, The Rituals of Kumar Pallana, was made by Dark Rye Magazine. He will be missed.
[The AV Club via The Dissolve]